Tasmania is 1 of the 3 states (QLD and ACT) in Australia that have in place a Skilled migration stream for Small Business Owner. In Tasmania, if you are an eligible business owner of a registered business, you might be qualified for the 491 nomination from the Tasmania Government.
Like other streams in the state migration program, you will need to meet the requirements for the Department of Home Affairs for visa subclass 491, and the state’s requirement for this stream.
Related:
Department of Home Affairs’ requirements
To be eligible to apply for state nomination, you must meet the following requirements set out by the Department of Home Affairs. You must have:
- not yet turned 45 years of age
- nominated an occupation on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations
- a valid and positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation
- at least ‘Competent’ English language proficiency
- at least 65 points on the Department of Home Affairs points test.
To know more about the 491 visa requirement, please click here.
Tasmanian Business Operator Pathway (TBO) requirements
To be considered for this category you must meet all the following minimum requirements
- You must have established and operated a business in Tasmania for at least 12 months. The business must be solely owned or co-owned with your spouse.
- Your business must still have been in profit after paying yourself a salary of at least 85 per cent of the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (currently $65,037)*. This income must come from genuine business activity and not be significantly supplemented by non-business sources such as personal savings, loans from family, or other external financial support.
- You must demonstrate awareness of fair employment practices by completing key units from the Fair Work Ombudsman’s online learning centre.
- Owners of massage therapy businesses must have a related skills assessment and a verifiable health fund provider number.
- Subcontractors and independent contractors are not eligible under this pathway (refer to Tasmanian Skilled Employment or Tasmanian Established Resident pathways).
* Your Australian Taxation Office Business Income Statement and Personal Income Statement for the most recent financial year must demonstrate that your business operated at a net profit after your personal taxable income of $65,037 was deducted.
Did you know?
Dependant family members must not be living in another Australian state or territory other than Tasmania.
They may be currently living overseas.
If they have relocated from another state or territory, they must have moved to Tasmania at least three months before applying for nomination.
491 TBO – Priority attributes
The following attributes are used to rank Registrations of Interest. Only the most competitive candidates are invited to apply for nomination.
There are no Gold or Green priority attributes for the Tasmanian Business Operator pathway.
Candidates with at least one orange-plus priority attribute are considered a high priority and will be the first Orange pass candidates invited to apply for nomination.
| ORANGE PLUS | Points |
|---|---|
| You have received a personal income from your business for over 12 months of at least $102,956 per year or $38.72 per hour and your business is still in profit. | 40 |
| Your business had a turnover of more than $500,000 in the last financial year. | 25 |
| Your business employs more than 10 local Australian citizens or permanent residents or provisional visa holders. | 25 |
| ORANGE | Points |
|---|---|
| You have a skills assessment which is directly related to your current business operation. | 12 |
| You received personal earnings from your business of more than $76,515, but less than $102,956 in the last year, and your business is still in profit. | 12 |
| You received earnings from your business of more than $68,863 but less than $76,515 in the last year, and your business is still in profit. | 10 |
| You hold a qualification that is directly relevant to your current business activities (at least Certificate III), excluding online courses or qualifications obtained through Recognition of Prior Learning. | 5 |
| Your spouse has been employed in Tasmania for the past six months in a role that paid at least $57,000 per year, or a base hourly rate of $28.85. | 4 |
| You have operated your business in Tasmania for more than 18 consecutive months. | 3 |
| You employ at least 3 full time employees who are Australian citizens or permanent residents or provisional visa holders | 3 |
| You have resided in Tasmania continuously for three years or more. | 3 |
| You have Proficient / Superior English, or you have an exemption to the English language requirements based on your passport country. | 2 |
| You have resided in Tasmania continuously for two years but less than three years. | 2 |
Related:
- 491 visa– Queensland Small Business Owners Pathway
- 491 visa- ACT Canberra Small Business Owner Pathway
- 491 visa – Tasmania Small Business Owner Stream
- Small Business Owner Comparison – 491 visa – a pathway to Australia permanent residency
- State requirements for 190 visa
- State requirements for 491 visa
- Industries We Work With
- TAS – Tasmania Critical Roles List
- TAS – Tasmanian Onshore Skilled Occupation List (TOSOL)
- TAS – Tasmania Skilled Migration Nomination Requirements






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